S&H Green Stamps
Escalon, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Remember saving trading stamps? Check out this old S&H Green Stamps sign in Escalon, a reminder of the days when a shopping trip could bring home something besides groceries. Along with Blue Chip Stamps, S&H was a familiar name to shoppers collecting their way toward a reward.
The green-and-white shield marked participating merchants, giving customers another reason to stop in. A purchase could mean another strip of stamps for the collection, followed by some time at home filling the little squares in a stamp book.
Then came the catalog browsing. Household goods and other prizes gave all that saving a purpose, though getting enough books together could take a while. Picking out the reward was the fun part. Finding a few loose stamps in a drawer could feel like getting a little closer.
UPDATE: This old Escalon view preserves an S&H merchant sign, recalling the stamp books and redemption catalogs that once turned everyday errands into a collecting project. 09-26
Castlemont Garden
Oakland, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
At first glance, the rooftop sign at Castlemont Garden in Oakland looks a little like a drive-in theater screen. Its large framework rises above the building, making this faded roadside sight worth another look.
Weathered lettering and a substantial rooftop structure give the sign a presence beyond the business name. There’s something about these oversized old marquees that makes the surrounding storefront seem almost secondary.
UPDATE: The old view captures the weathered Castlemont Garden rooftop marquee, preserving its unusual screen-like appearance above the Oakland streetscape. 09-26
Wigs by Tiffany (Closed)
Oakland, CA Photo courtesy Kallisti
Looking for a change of hairstyle? Here’s Wigs by Tiffany in Oakland, another specialty shop with a sign that tells the passing customer what’s inside. A different look could begin with a stop through the front door.
Wig shops had their own place among the beauty salons, clothing stores, and other neighborhood businesses. This marquee recalls that earlier shopping scene, when browsing for a new style meant heading down to a local storefront.
UPDATE: Wigs by Tiffany is listed as closed. The old view recalls its place among Oakland’s specialty shops. 09-26
Dick & Dale's Auto Tops (Gone)
Redwood City, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Cruising along El Camino Real in Redwood City, check out the large vintage marquee at Dick & Dale’s Auto Tops. This longtime upholstery shop had a sign that could catch the eye even when a new convertible top wasn’t on the shopping list. Another good reason to watch the roadside businesses while passing through town.
The shop had a place in the custom-car scene of the 1950s, when a car’s interior could be just as much a part of the show as its paint and bodywork. Upholstery gave owners another way to put their own stamp on a vehicle, with shops like Dick & Dale’s helping finish the look.
Among its documented projects was Dawn Smith’s 1950 Mercury. The business also worked on the “Fordillac,” a custom vehicle featured in Car Craft magazine in June 1956. Quite a bit of automotive history behind what might otherwise look like an everyday roadside shop.
By 1959, Dick & Dale’s appeared in the Sequoia High School yearbook’s business directory, placing it firmly among the local establishments of the era. The big neon marquee became its calling card along the commercial strip, announcing the business to customers and passing motorists alike.
Dick & Dale's Auto Tops
Redwood City, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
The later sight of a “for lease” notice told a different story. The familiar name was still there in the old photo, but the work inside had come to an end. It’s the sort of change that makes an earlier storefront view worth hanging onto, especially when the sign has been part of the drive for years.
UPDATE: Dick & Dale’s has closed, and its vintage roadside marquee was subsequently removed. The old views preserve the shop and sign from its years along El Camino Real, another reminder of the Peninsula’s custom-car and roadside business history. 09-26
Stella Pastry
San Francisco, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Something sweet is waiting in North Beach. Check out the Stella Pastry sign in San Francisco, hanging from a building that almost makes the bakery look as though it’s tucked into someone’s residence.
That neighborhood feel is part of the setting, with apartments above and a bakery at street level. The projecting marquee gives the shop its own little announcement along Columbus Avenue, inviting a closer look before continuing down the block.
Stella is known for its Sacripantina cake, giving pastry fans another reason to stop besides the sign. A bakery marquee might bring the camera out, but the display inside can make it difficult to leave empty-handed.
UPDATE: Stella Pastry & Café remains open in North Beach, and its classic projecting sign survives. The longtime Italian bakery continues serving its signature Sacripantina cake. 09-26
Little City
San Francisco, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Check out the red marquee at Little City Market in San Francisco, advertising a fine selection of meats. Here’s an old neighborhood butcher-shop sign that gets its message across before a customer even reaches the counter.
The market’s roots reach back to the 1940s, with its familiar North Beach corner location dating to about 1951. Three generations of the Spinali family have carried on the business, keeping a traditional butcher shop part of the neighborhood shopping routine.
The double-sided projecting sign gives the storefront a recognizable face from either direction. It’s a fitting marker for a place where shopping still means a stop at the meat counter and a conversation about what’s going home for dinner.
UPDATE: Little City Market remains open in North Beach, and its red exterior marquee survives. Historic neon also remains inside the shop, adding another bit of old storefront character. 09-26
Valley Inn
Escalon, CA Photo courtesy Devil Doll
Follow the yellow arrow to the Valley Inn in Escalon, where the glowing marquee makes a lively announcement along Main Street. That sweeping curve gives the sign plenty of movement, even while everything stays firmly attached to the building.
The “On-Off Sale” wording advertises liquor for drinking on the premises or taking away. It’s a familiar phrase on old bar signs, though this one gives it a little extra flair with the neon-outlined arrow pointing the way.
Downtown bars often had some of the best signs on the block, and the Valley Inn offers a good example. Check out the lettering, then let the eye follow that swoop back toward the entrance.
UPDATE: The Valley Inn remains open in downtown Escalon, and its distinctive yellow-arrow marquee survives. 09-26
S&H Green Stamps
Castlemont Garden
Wigs by Tiffany (Closed)
Dick & Dale's Auto Tops (Gone)
Dick & Dale's Auto Tops
Stella Pastry
Little City
Valley Inn
